critchlow



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

ALFRED P. CRITCHLOW, OF FLORENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A. P.

A GRITGHLOW & OO.

HINGE FOR PICTURE-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 15,915, dated October 14, 18456; Ressued April 21,

To all 'wh-0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALFRED P. CRITCHLOW, of Florence, in the county of I-Iampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Connecting the Two Halves or Parts of Daguerreo-type or Picture Cases; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of whichi Figure 1, represents a daguerreotype o-r picture case entirely open and having its two parts united together by hinges of my improved kind. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section of the case, such being taken through one of the hinges. Fig. 3, is a side view of ope of said hinges.. Fig. 4, is a top View o it..

The kind of daguerreotype or picture case, for which I have particularly devised my improvement is that which is common and well known, as being made of composition which when heated and in a so-ft state is pressed into a mold in order to form either half of the case. Now, this composition is usually composed of various materials, well known to those whose business it is to manufacture such cases.

In the drawings, A, B, exhibit the two halves of a picture case of such description, they beingunited together by hinges, C, C. Each of these hinges is constructed of two leaves, a, b, each of which is bent twice at a right angle and so that, when the hinge is applied to the two parts of the case, it may extend entirely across the two sides, c, d, and thence down the inner surface of said sides, and thence a short distance therefrom Y and so as to extend into, over, or lap upon theinner surfaces, e, e, of the case as shown in the drawings, or so that rivets f, f, may be passed through such extension, and the top and bottom plates of the box in order to secure the hinge in place or fasten it to the said parts A, B. When a hinge is so made and applied, it is not fastened to what may be termed the sides of the box, but entirely independent thereof, and therefore the strain on the hingerduring the act of opening and shutting the box, especially when the hinge has a close or not loose joint, is completely removed from the sides of the box, so that it is not liable to break them or displace the hinge as often occurs when the leaf of the hinge is bent only once Aand inserted in a mortise made in the side of the box or is fastened to the sides. Besides this, the hinge so embraces the contiguous sides of the bo-x, that it has a great extent of bearing surface, and thereby it prevents the box from being injured by a leverage or st-rain which is often brought upon the hinge after the halves of the box have been opened into one plane and `into contact with each other.

I do not claim a hinge of common construction, or one having each o f its leaves bent at a right angle so that it may be inserted in a mortise made in the side of a case or box, but

My improvement in the application of a hinge of a' daguerreotype or picture case molded of a plastic material, or made of a frangible substance or substances, such hinge being made with each of its leaves bent twice as set forth, and so applied to the halves of the box, that it may embrace two contiguous sides of such halves and be independent thereof and extend or lap over and be fastened to the top and bottom plates of said box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature this thirteenth day of May A. P. CRI'ICHLOW.

Witnesses: H. F. CUTLER A. W. THAYER.

[FIRST PRINTED 1912.] 

